HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Dozens of Ukrainian-Americans gathered on the streets of Hallandale Beach to show support for Ukraine, hours after that country’s president engaged in a verbal dispute with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
7News cameras captured demonstrators chanting and holding up signs along the 400 block of South Federal Highway, Friday night.
Members of South Florida’s Ukrainian-American community said watching the 10-minute argument between the two heads of state left them worried and upset.
“It’s like a lot of anger today,” said Karina Moisieieva.
“It was very hard, it was bizarre,” Raphael Nagli.
Demonstrators held up a Ukrainian flag and signs that read “Putin to Hague. Free Ukraine” as they chanted “Freedom for Ukraine.”
Dimitry, who has lived in America for half his life, said he feels America has made a complete 180 on the issue of foreign policy.
“Like a betrayal. The support of democracy in foreign countries, that’s number one, that’s always been the priority. I’m worried, not just for Ukraine, but the whole world is watching,” he said.
Others told 7News they still have family and friends in Ukraine and hoped the war with Russia would be over soon but now feel that their hopes have been dashed.
“When Trump came to power, everybody was expecting he was going to work tirelessly to bring the peace he promised to all Americans and Ukrainians. Many Ukrainians in the last couple of months were prepared to go home. They actually were packing already, and everything changed today,” said Nagli.
Some demonstrators carried the sunflower, Ukraine’s national flower. Another carried a Ukrainian flag signed by soldiers fighting the war, and others sang the national anthem.
“When I moved here, I had such a big belief in this country. When you know this is a country of possibilities, you have freedom of speech, you have your rights. And now, all that is tearing apart. That’s really, really, really upsetting,” said Moisieieva.
Florida for Ukraine, the group that organized this rally, said they will continue their lobbying efforts to get more humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians and soldiers.
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